Chocolate Babka

You won’t regret sinking your teeth into this chocolate babka with its soft and fluffy base, swirls of decadent chocolate filling, and a generous layer of smooth chocolate glaze on top.

Why this recipe works

This gorgeous braided chocolate babka is as easy on your tastebuds as it is on your eyes. It all starts with a fluffy yeast dough that has almost a marbled chocolate filling effect on the inside. Chocolate babka originated amongst the Jewish communities in Ukraine and Poland and has since gained immense popularity thanks to its incredible taste, texture, and appetizing look.

Chocolate and bread is probably one of the best food combinations to exist. Just as how chocolate zucchini bread feels like more of a dessert than a loaf bread, I would say the same of chocolate babka. It pairs so well with coffee in the morning!

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

YEAST – Use fast-acting dry yeast for this bread, which is also commonly known as instant yeast or quick-rise yeast.

FILLING – Semi-sweet chocolate chips, unsalted butter, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar (a.k.a. icing sugar/confectioners sugar) are used to make the filling. Another popular version of babka includes cinnamon in the filling, so feel free to add a bit if you would like. Baking chocolate can be used in place of chocolate chips if preferred, and you can certainly use dark chocolate in the semi-sweets place.

How to Make Chocolate Babka

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Combine the lukewarm milk, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Whisk to dissolve the yeast. Leave for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
2. Add in the eggs, remaining sugar, vanilla, and salt.
3. Add the flour. Mix until smooth.
4. Slowly incorporate the butter. Knead the dough with the hook of your mixer or by hand for 5-8 minutes until nice and smooth.
5. Place the dough in a greased bowl. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for one hour, or until doubled in size.
6. For the filling, melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring at 30-second intervals until smooth. Mix in the butter, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar until a smooth mixture forms.
7. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan. Set aside.
8. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead for a short while. Roll the dough out to a large rectangle. Spread the chocolate filling, leaving the dough bare around the edges.
9. Roll up the dough tightly to form a log. Using a sharp knife, cut the log longwise, leaving the last inch of the dough intact on one end.
10. Twist the two halves to form a spiral/braided pattern.
11. Carefully transfer to prepared loaf pan. Cover loosely with plastic, and let rise for 20 minutes.
12. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325°F. Brush the top of the loaf with the egg wash.
13. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Cover with foil, if needed.
14. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
15. To make the glaze, put the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30-second intervals, or until the chocolate and butter are melted and smooth. Add in the corn syrup. Beat the mixture, adding small amounts of hot water until thinned as desired.
16. Pour or spoon the glaze over the cooled chocolate babka.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Serving Suggestions

Some may consider chocolate babka a cake, therefore you can serve it as a dessert or as a sweet treat alongside a cup of coffee or tea in the morning. Serve warm, toasted, or at room temperature. Whichever you fancy!

More Bread Recipes

• Monkey Bread
• Bread Pudding
• Lemon Zucchini Bread
• Chocolate Zucchini Bread

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Chocolate Babka

This gorgeous braided chocolate babka is as easy on your tastebuds as it is on your eyes. It all starts with a fluffy yeast dough that has almost a marbled chocolate filling effect on the inside.

5 from 7 votes

IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

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Course: Breads

Cuisine: European

Servings: 9 servings

2 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Calories: 672

Author: Amanda Davis

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 tsp fast-acting dry yeast a.k.a instant yeast
• ▢ 1 cup milk lukewarm
• ▢ 2 eggs at room temperature
• ▢ ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 6 Tbsp unsalted butter softened at room temperature
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ ⅓ tsp salt

Chocolate Filling

• ▢ 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ▢ 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• ▢ 3 Tbsp cocoa powder
• ▢ ⅓ cup powdered sugar

Egg Wash

• ▢ 1 egg yolk whisked
• ▢ 1 Tbsp water

Chocolate Glaze

• ▢ ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ▢ 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• ▢ 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
• ▢ 1-2 tsp hot water

Things You’ll Need

• ▢
  9×5 loaf pan
• ▢
  Stand mixer

Before You Begin

• This recipe yields 1 loaf.
• Another popular version of babka includes cinnamon in the filling, so feel free to add a bit if you would like. Baking chocolate can be used in place of chocolate chips if preferred, and you can certainly use dark chocolate in the semi-sweets place.

Instructions

• Combine the lukewarm milk, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Whisk to dissolve the yeast. Leave for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
• Add in the eggs, remaining sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add the flour. Mix until smooth.
• Slowly incorporate the butter. Knead the dough with the hook of your mixer or by hand for 5-8 minutes until nice and smooth.
• Place the dough in a greased bowl. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for one hour, or until doubled in size.
• For the filling, melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring at 30-second intervals until smooth. Mix in the butter, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar until a homogeneous mixture forms.
• Grease a 9×5 loaf pan. Set aside.
• Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead for a short while. Roll the dough out to a large rectangle. Spread the chocolate filling, leaving the dough bare around the edges.
• Roll up the dough tightly to form a log. Using a sharp knife, cut the log longwise, leaving the last inch of the dough intact on one end. Twist/braid the two sections of dough together.
• Carefully transfer to prepared loaf pan. Cover loosely with plastic, and let rise for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325°F.
• Brush the top of the loaf with the egg wash.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Cover with foil, if needed. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
• To make the glaze, put the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30-second intervals, or until the chocolate and butter are melted and smooth. Add in the corn syrup. Beat the mixture, adding small amounts of hot water until thinned as desired.
• Pour or spoon the glaze over the cooled chocolate babka.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 672cal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 124mg | Potassium: 360mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 609IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 5mg

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